The Indian Express   17.08.2012

Soon, leasehold to freehold will be a click away

Process will take 45 days, big relief for people in DDA, group housing flats: Vice-Chairman

The Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) will soon launch an online system for converting leasehold land to freehold property.

The DDA’s new vice-chairman, Sanjay Kumar Shrivastava, announced
this on Thursday, while stressing the need for a participatory planning
process and improving the grievance redressal system of the agency.

Shrivastava, who took charge on Monday, said: “A software has
been developed for online conversion of leasehold land to freehold
property. At present, test runs are on. The software will help people
apply online for conversion of land from leasehold to freehold. The
applicant can track the status of his request and fulfill formalities
through emails,” Shrivastava said.

He said the new mechanism will help people know about the public
hearings without visiting the agency’s offices. Currently, 7,000 to
15,000 people visit the DDA offices every day for hearings on their
applications on land holding.

“The Urban Development Minister will soon launch this system.
Once it becomes operational, the conversion process will only take 45
days. This will be a big relief for 60-70 per cent people who visit DDA
offices daily and live in group housing societies and DDA flats,” he
said.

“To improve the grievance redressal system, we are also providing
time schedules for all activities of DDA by revising the citizens
charter. Earlier, only 10 activities were provided time schedules under
the citizens charter. Now, activities of all departments having public
interface has been included. The revised charter will be ready in the
coming days,” Shrivastava added.

DDA has also identified six historically significant areas as
“heritage zones”, including three parks in Mehrauli, Sultangarhi and
Tughlakabad.

“Under the Urban Heritage Foundation, projects on conservation
and landscaping of Lado Sarai tomb and renovation of former Viceregal
Lodge (the administrative office of Delhi University) were taken up. For
restoration of Bengali Club, Kashmere Gate, DDA has allocated Rs 15
lakh,” Shrivastava said.

Delay in giving out flats: DDA to take action

The new vice-chairman of Delhi Development Authority (DDA),
Sanjay Kumar Shrivastava, on Thursday said the agency would look into
the delay in construction of around 700 flats under its 2010 housing
scheme in Vasant Kunj and Dwarka Sector-18B.

He said corrective measures would be taken. “I will convene a
meeting on this. Adequate action will be taken against anyone found
responsible for the delay,” he said.

His remarks came barely a week after Newsline highlighted the
plight of those who were allotted flats in Vasant Kunj and Dwarka, and
the additions and alterations made to the new DDA flats in Kondli.

However, he said it had been clearly mentioned in the brochure of
the housing scheme that construction of some of the localities was
still on. “We will look into the contract and see what can be done,”
Shrivastava said.

Several flat-owners in Vasant Kunj and Dwarka Sector-18B are
still awaiting possession of the houses allotted to them through a draw
of lots in 2010. At least a year or more would be required to get the
majority of these flats ready for people to move in, officials at the
sites had said.

Shrivastava said future housing schemes of the DDA would give
priority to the middle class. “There is a requirement for two and
three-bedroom flats. I will look into it,” he said. There have been
allegations in the Kondli project that people who have opted for
one-bedroom flats were given houses much smaller than the specified
floor area on the brochure. The DDA has refuted the allegations.

On flats for people belonging to the economically weaker section
(EWS) of society, Shrivastava said: “The target of building 100,000 EWS
houses includes rehabilitation of people from slums on their existing
sites within three years. Besides, about 9,650 houses are at various
stages of construction and will be completed soon,” he said.

“Around 20,000 EWS houses will come up in Dwarka and Rohini.
Tenders have been floated for nearly 25,000 houses in other areas,”
Shrivastava said.